The present invention generally relates to a system and method for summarizing information units and evaluating the summarized information. More specifically, the present invention relates to the summarizing of an image data record by selecting a particular aspect of the record and manipulating the record such that a meaningful evaluation thereof is accomplished.
Medical diagnosis or the identification of a disease or a specific medical condition from its symptoms has long exceeded its dictionary definition. Currently, medical diagnosis relies substantially on a multitude of laboratory tests and high-technology diagnostic tools. These procedures include a plurality of laboratory examinations such as biochemical tests, blood tests, microscopy, diverse imaging procedures and the like.
Today, the average patient entering any given Emergency Room (ER) ward will most likely be given, after a brief physical examination, a wealth of diagnostic investigations using a multitude of investigative tools. The diagnostic tools will typically include traditional laboratory tests, such as Electrocardiogram (ECG) and X-ray photography. If needed, further diagnostic tools will be applied such as Ultrasound (US), Computed Tomography (CT) and the like. The diagnostic tools provide the physician with a wealth of information regarding the anatomy, physiology and pathology of the patient. Diagnostic tools have been evolving rapidly during the last few decades due mainly to advances in the understanding of the human biology as well as to accelerated progress in computing and imaging techniques. The rapid development of diagnostic evaluation tools has brought about a plethora of information to the attending physician. In order to apply the appropriate therapy or to initiate the performance of further tests, physicians must read and interpret the data provided by the diagnostic tools within minutes. Proper and precise assessment, evaluation and interpretation of the data provided by most diagnostic tools require ample time and proficiency, exactly two of the things that most physicians do not possess in a realistic medical environment. Thus, the problem of assessing, evaluating and interpreting the information provided by the diagnostic tools, particularly those operative in the field of imaging, has led to the creation of a special subspecialty of physicians capable of assessing the data produced by diagnostic tools during a relatively short period of time with relatively high accuracy. Still, even radiologists are incapable of observing the entire range of details associated with the data provided since the capacity of the ordinary human senses is naturally limited. The human brain can handle only a limited amount of information in a given period of time concerning the decision which of the information is relevant and which is unimportant. In addition to these natural limitations, a human observer is never free of external interruptions and internal interferences that may obscure and distort the perceived pattern of the data received. Furthermore, the human capability of observing minute, subtle changes in high-volume data and evaluating the importance of the perceived changes is typically inadequate. The above-mentioned interruptions, interferences and natural limitations apply not only to radiologists but also to all humans operating in the field of medical diagnostic evaluation such as pathologists, laboratory technicians, physicians of all specialties, and the like.
There are relatively small number of working solutions to overcome the limitations in the evaluation, assessment and the interpretation of diagnostic tools in the medical field. Most of these solutions involve the application of mathematical models, such as, for example, the Fourier analysis and other similar techniques.
Due to the considerable amount of erroneous interpretations (false positive, false negative) most health practitioners avoid using such interpretations of data provided by the diagnostic tools. Although some diagnostic tools such as special Ultrasound (US) machines summarise parts of the information and display the summary to the user in a form that is easier to understand, such summary does not include any meaningful evaluation and still requires expertise in the evaluation thereof. The above-mentioned diagnostic tools are typically very expensive and difficult to operate such that a specifically trained medical operator is required for the correct interpretation thereof. There is therefore a need in the art for a rapid, accurate, integrated and cost-effective system and method for summarising and evaluating image data records obtained from medical diagnostic investigation tools.
Presently available computer facilitated methods for evaluating medically related data is insufficient. An important aspect of the present invention is the selection of complex, important and significant sections of data, which allows the viewing of meaningful extracts. The cost of evaluating medically related data is substantially high because of a number of reasons. Most techniques for assessment, evaluation as well as summarizing medical data require training of personnel in the technique procedure and application. In addition, personnel performing such tasks, require substantial knowledge and training in the actual subject matter. Furthermore, there is an enormous amount of data being produced from examination devices such as imaging examination devices as well as from other devices such as communication and systems devices. It is virtually impossible, if only from a time availability point of view, for medical personnel needing to access information, to perform a required task without having access to summary information presentations, unless additional time is spent. Another advantage of the present invention involves human observation limitation of data amount and detail change. The present invention enhances and stress relevant parts of the data thus allows a human observer to concentrate on relevant data and details otherwise blended within vast amounts of data, as well as present it to the user in a simplified manner. The present invention also provides for a meaningful summary and evaluation of three-dimensional images typically containing a large quantity of information.
All aspects mentioned above are significantly costly and demonstrate the need in the art for an improved method for producing meaningful, accurate and effective summary data. The present invention represents a significant advance in summarizing techniques.
One aspect of the present invention regards a medical diagnostics system enhanced by the application of an imagery data analysis instrument operative in the processing of imagery data for the purpose of generating meaningful imagery data summaries. The system comprises an imagery input device to acquire imagery data of subjects and to transmit a stream of the acquired imagery data to associated data processing apparatus. The system further comprises data processing device associated with the imagery input device. The data processing device comprises data storage device for storing the stream of acquired imagery data, to store imagery data processing control parameters and to store programs constituting the imagery data analysis application. It further includes a processor device to process the stream of imagery data through the application of the imagery data analysis application and an imagery data analysis application for the generation of meaningful summaries of the imagery data received from the at least one imagery input device and a user interface device to enable the users of the system to control suitably the operation of the system.
Another aspect of the present invention regards a medical diagnostics method utilizing an imagery analysis mechanism for the purpose of creating meaningful summaries of imagery data, the method comprising the steps of acquiring a stream of imagery data of a subject via an 1 imagery input device. Processing the imagery data for the purpose of generating meaningful imagery data summaries. Presenting the meaningful imagery summaries to a user.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be evident to the person skilled in the art from a reading of the following brief description of the drawings, the detailed description of the present invention, and the appended claims.